The Part Where You Let Go
by Assumption327
Summary: Collection of Gadge one-shots. For more information, read my opening comments.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games nor do I own the song this is named after

Warnings: Vague mention of sex

I can't say that this will be an actual ongoing story, but I think I have an idea for it. I'm going to take moments that would be important to Gadge, and just write them. I can make no promises on when the next chapter will be. I also don't know if it will take place before or after this. For the sake of right now, we'll say that things will go in chronological order. My main story is a Charlie Weasley fanfiction named C'Mon.. Go check it out! Please review, and in your review mention any particular momnts that you would like me to write a Gadge story for.

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"She's coming home!" Gale shouted, pulling Madge into a bone crushing hug and lifting her off the floor. He spun her around a couple of times, and when he put her back down, there were tears of joy in his eyes. "She's coming home. She's coming home. She's coming home," he repeated this mantra under his breath.

"I knew that she would," Madge asserted, finding her face wet with her own tears. She had started crying much earlier, but didn't notice until this moment.

Gale wasn't listening to her. He was staring at the television as Katniss was pulled into the hover craft. Even after she was out of view of the cameras and the Capitol symbol appeared in place of the arena, Gale continued to be entranced by the screen.

Madge slowly walked up next to him and slipped her hand into his. His rough, calloused hand was the perfect size to completely envelop her infinitesimal one. He gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, and hummed a little tune to himself. Madge recognized it as a song that she had often heard Katniss and Gale singing on their way to The Hob.

"Just like that," Madge laughed bitterly, "things go back to exactly how they were." Gale suddenly turned to her and grabbed her shoulders. He looked apologetically into her eyes.

"Oh, Madge," he whispered.

"No," she protested. "Just go. It doesn't matter. I expected this." Gale sighed and took her left cheek in his hand and rubbed away a tear.

"Aren't you even a little happy that your best friend is coming home?" Gale asked a little irritated.

"Of course I am!" Madge yelled, pushing his strong arms away. "I just kind of hoped that after all this time that we've spent together – after everything I've given you – you would care about me enough to not just blow me off." Gale rolled his eyes.

"You said that you saw this coming!" he demanded.

"That doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt," Madge choked. Gale's heart clenched at seeing Madge cry, but he knew that staying with her would be a lie. He was in love with Katniss. Until he was certain that she was in love with Peeta, he would follow her to the ends of the earth.

"Should I go?" he asked. Madge nodded in response. She didn't want him to try and comfort her. She knew that no good would come of it. He was started out the door of her house when she spoke again.

"Gale?" she called.

"Yes."

"Don't tell Katniss that I lost my virginity to you. Don't even tell her that we were seeing each other. Just don't tell her anything," she implored. Gale nodded in agreement.

"I wouldn't dream of it. It's our secret to the grave," he vowed. With that, he ducked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own the Hunger Games or the song this was named after

Warnings: Smut, my first smut

Alrighty so this is my second entry to this collection of one-shots for Gadge. I don't have any other ideas currently, but I may in the future. Just keep an eye open for something new. If you have any prompts that would be extremely helpful. Please check out my other stuff if you enjoyed this. This is my first smut; so, we'll see how this goes

Madge sat curled up her bed, watching the television screen. President Snow was two seconds away from reading out loud the rules for the year's Quarter Quell. She often tried to hide it, but Reaping Day really did terrify Madge. She could very clearly remember her heart stopping as Effie Trinket pushed her hand into the glass ball every year. With the Quarter Quell, who knew what would happen?

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary," President Snow began, "as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."

Madge heard herself scream, and she shut off the television. She brought her covers up to her mouth and bit down hard. She shrieked louder than she ever had in her entire life. Katniss was going back into the arena. There was no way to avoid it. She and Katniss had grown apart a bit that year. Katniss had seen and lived horrors too abhorrent for Madge to even imagine. Katniss had found more comfort in a world with her own mind and usually without Madge.

Now, Madge felt like she was completely useless. How could she possibly comfort Katniss about going into the arena for a second time? There was nothing that she could do – nothing she could say - that would make this better. She heard her bedroom down slam against the wall.

A wild eyed Gale stood in her doorway, sweating as if he had sprinted a mile. Madge realized that it wasn't totally unthinkable that he had. Gale opened his mouth as if he was about to explain himself, but Madge waved him off. He fell face first onto her bed and began to cry. Madge rested her head on Gale's back and started to sob. He flinched from the pressure on his whip wounds but did not move.

After they had both cried themselves out, Gale started to sit up. Madge got off of his back and stared at him as he lifted his face towards her. He leant forward and kissed her full on the lips. Madge was taken aback for only a moment before she returned the kiss. She needed the comfort of this. Gale pushed Madge onto her back and climbed on top of her.

He began to unbutton her blouse, and Madge would have happily let Gale do all of the work, but she wanted it too much. She reached up and began to return the favor by unbuttoning his shirt. She pushed it back off of his shoulders to better see his finely sculpted abs. Gale gave a melancholy smile and pushed hair out of her face before diving in for more kissing. He ran a hand down Madge's side and stopped to rest on her thigh.

Madge linked her arms around Gale's neck, and wrapped her legs around his waist. He began to suck on a spot on her collarbone, and she was suddenly thankful that her dress for the reaping had a collar. She quickly forgot about everything else though as she let out a satisfied moan. Gale pushed himself up to unhook her bra, and they finally set to work on actually removing each other's clothes.

Madge fumbled with Gale's zipper (it had been such a long time), but eventually got it down and shoved his pants down his legs and his boxers off with them. He shook out his legs and his jeans fell to the floor. A similar maneuver happened to Madge's skirt, and they were both bare. Gale took no time in beginning to suck on one of Madge's nipples. He pulled off with a quiet pop and began to move down the rest of her body. When she felt his tongue hit her clit, she gasped. Madge reached down and took Gale's thick brown hair while her moans got louder and closer together.

"Come on, Gale," she half moaned, half laughed. "Don't you want some for yourself?"

He took his mouth off of her and moved up to kiss her mouth again. It took her a second for her to realize that he was letting her taste herself. It was oddly hot. She wrapped her legs around him again and willed him to fuck her.

Gale took the hint. He positioned himself and began to push in slowly. Madge practically screamed with anticipation. She swore that he couldn't move slower if he had tried.

"Gale," she said this time fully groaning, "I'm not a virgin. It hasn't been that long. You can go faster than that."

Gale took no hesitation from that point forward. He immediately began to move in and out so quickly that Madge thought that she would burst. She was near shouting at this point, repeating Gale's name like a mantra over and over again. Gale was holding on no better. At one point, he actually did yell and Madge thanked God that her family was watching the television elsewhere. Madge forgot about all else and paid attention to the slapping noise of skin on skin that came with each thrust from Gale.

"I'm close," she moaned. Gale in response only went faster and began to work on her clit. It was all too much for Madge. She and Gale both came with a gasp and a groan.

Gale slowly extricated himself from Madge and rolled off of her. They lay next to each other for a while, each trying to catch their breath. While it had felt good, Madge had even more questions in her mind than she had before. She turned onto her side to face Gale and rested her head on her hand.

"Why didn't you go to Katniss?" she found herself asking. It was the last question she had expected to ask. She hoped for, "Are you relieved for your siblings?" "How do you think Katniss will do?" "What does this mean about us?" Instead she ended up asking the question that made it sound like she was blaming Gale when she, arguably, hadn't gone to Katniss either.

"We'd just argue," Gale explained, turning to face Madge. "She doesn't want to talk about it. I can tell." Madge nodded.

"I wouldn't even know what to say," she admitted. She started to play with the ends of her sheets, working up the courage that she needed to ask her next question. "Gale?" she murmered.

"Hmmm?" he hummed.

"What are we now?" she asked nervously. "Where do we take this from here?" He rolled back onto his back and squinted at the ceiling, as if he was trying to read an answer off of the plaster.

"Katniss isn't coming back," he began. "As far as I can tell, her plan is to get Peeta home safely. I don't think that she's a hindrance to this relationship. Will you be my girlfriend again?"

Madge considered this. Could she just start dating Gale again? What would Katniss think? Would she be relieved to have Gale out of the way? Would she feel comfort at not having to worry about Gale being left all alone? Would she feel like Madge was stepping in on what it seemed like she had dibs on? Suddenly, Madge found herself crying again.

"What's wrong?" Gale questioned wrapping Madge in his strong arms. Touching him naked like this was so different from sex. It felt so innocent and so… needed.

"Is this what it feels like to betray a friend?" she asked through tears.

"You're not betraying her," Gale promised. "She doesn't want me."

"Do we tell her?"

"I doubt anyone will have a chance to tell her much of anything," Gale guessed. "I'd say that she'll be spending a lot of time alone." Madge's heart ached a little at the thought of Katniss being alone at a time like this, but she remembered something. Katniss wasn't like her. Katniss dealt with her problems in an entirely different way. Madge snuggled up to Gale.

"I'm glad that I'm not alone anymore," she whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games, and I don't do this for money. I doubt anyone would pay me...

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"Does Katniss know how to swim?" Madge found herself asking Gale. They were snuggled up together on her bed with the bed sheets wrapped around them. They had gone straight to Madge's house after she got out of school. It was the first day of the games. It was the first day of the pain that could last an exceedingly long amount of time. Staring at the arena moments before the tributes arrived, Madge found herself consumed with worry for her friend.

"Yeah," Gale answered. "She's a strong swimmer."

"How'd she learn?" Madge wondered out loud. She didn't expect Gale to necessarily know the answer. Katniss seemed to know a lot of things without a reason to know.

"There's a lake in the woods," Gale explained to her surprise. "I think her dad taught her. I'll take you there sometime." Madge smiled at the thought. She liked to imagine future times with Gale. It seemed the present seem less doomed.

"How do you think Katniss will react when she finds out about us?" Gale shifted uncomfortably on the bed. Madge suddenly grabbed his hand in fear that he wanted to leave. He was never comfortable watching the games.

"I don't think she will find out about us," Gale sighed.

Madge nodded, and she felt a stinging in her throat. She wondered if Katniss knew how many people she would be hurting if she died. Gale seemed to sense Madge's unhappiness or maybe simply felt it himself. Whatever the reason, he wrapped his arms around her waist as the countdown came to an end.

"Three, two, one!" The second that the voice called out the number one, all hell broke out. Madge tried to follow what was going on, but her eyes couldn't keep track of the fight. She felt herself become sick from the sight of so much blood. The opening battle was always the hardest for Madge to watch.

"I'm going to get some water," she said trying to hold in her vomit. She practically fell out of the bed. She grabbed her robe, and started to stumble towards the door.

"Don't you want to see how Katniss does?" Gale called.

"She'll be fine," Madge reassured him. "She's got to stay alive long enough to take care of Peeta." She found the handle of her door and pushed herself out.

She made it to the bathroom where she grabbed a paper cup and started to fill it with water. With a shaking hand, she brought the cup to her lips. They were dry like they always were when she felt sick. She barely tasted the water before she felt that she couldn't hold it in any longer. She fell in front of the toilet and started to throw up into it. Strong hands were holding her hair back.

She rid her stomach of its contents and fell back into Gale's arms. He kissed the top of her head and rocked back and forth with her in his lap. He had put a pair of pants on in the time it had taken her to get to the bathroom and fill a cup of water. Obviously, she was sicker than she thought. The lights of the bathroom were too bright. Madge had a pounding headache that would give her mother's a run for their money. Beads of sweat were building on her forehead.

"Why didn't you tell me that you felt sick?" Gale asked nervously.

"I was embarrassed," Madge admitted. "It doesn't matter. You figured it out anyway."

"You never have to be embarrassed in front of me," Gale assured her. "Trust me completely. There are so few people we can trust; so, trust as much as you can with the people who have confidence in. Okay?" Madge nodded into Gale's chest. "Let's go back to your room."

Gale stood up, and Madge struggled to hold onto his arms. She put weight on her wobbly legs and immediately felt herself falling. Gale caught her. He started to laugh.

"Looks like I'm still a little shaky," Madge chuckled apologetically.

"No problem," Gale shrugged. He swooped her into his arms and started to carry her. It was the first time that Gale had ever carried Madge, and she couldn't say that she liked it. She didn't like the feeling of helplessness. Still, she was too sick to walk.

Gale dumped her on her bed and sidled in next to her. She put her head back on his chest while his arm wrapped around her back. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the sounds coming from her TV. Gale gently brushed her hair back from her forehead wet with sweat.

"You didn't throw up last time we watched the opening of the Games," Gale pointed out. "What do you think it was about this one?"

"I don't know," Madge answered. "I just felt really sick all of a…" she stopped mid sentence. Something tickled at the back of her mind.

Her period. It was a week late. Madge had hardly thought about it before. Her period was often irregular, but this sudden bout of sickness made her wonder. She bit her lip in concern. Her voice shook as she spoke.

"Gale," she quivered, "Did we use a condom last time?"

Gale stopped cold. He took his hand off of Madge's hair and gulped. He pursed his lips. He slowly exhaled and shook his head. They didn't always use a condom. Years before a doctor had told that an illness had left Madge infertile. Neither Madge nor Gale had sex with anyone else. Often, the condom seemed like an unnecessary precaution.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Madge persuaded him. "That doctor said I can't get pregnant. My period's just a little late." Gale nodded, but he seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Madge settled back into his embrace, but it didn't last long.

"I think that you should check to make sure," Gale recommended. Madge was about to argue, but she saw the look in his eyes. Besides, she knew that she should. She was just afraid of the outcome.

Madge gave directions to Gale to her mother's bathroom where he would find pregnancy tests. He was back within seconds and helped her to the bathroom. When she got there, Gale held her hari back as she threw up one more time.

"I'll wait outside," he said awkwardly. He shuffled out of the bathroom, and Madge was left to stare at the strip in her hand.

Gale slouched against the wall outside her bathroom door. He ran his fingers through his own hair. Would he have to marry Madge? It wasn't that he didn't love her, but he wasn't ready for marriage. Madge was still in school. Neither of them was ready to get married. The door slowly creaked open.

"Um," Madge hummed. "It's positive." There were tears running down her face. She threw her arms around Gale and buried her face in his chest. "It's fucking positive!" she cried. "How the hell did that happen? That fucking doctor!" She was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Shh," Gale soothed. "We'll work through this. You'll be okay. We'll be okay."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I am not paid to write anything

So obviously this would look like the end, but I don't think so. I'll either go back and write things from Katniss's first games or I may write about Gale's dealings. This isn't the end, but we might be getting close. I knew that this wasn't going to last long, not because I don't enjoy it, but it's just not a long story

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Madge stared as the hovercraft picked Katniss out of the arena. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to figure out what was going on. Who had taken her out? Where were they going? Were they friend or foe? The sound of sirens interrupted her thoughts. Gale turned to face her with an urgent look in his eyes.

"Gather up everyone you can and get them to the woods," he commanded. He took off at a run out of the house. Madge paused for a moment. The only other person in her house at the moment was her mother. Someone would need to carry her. Madge couldn't do it on her own. She would find someone to do it – maybe Gale when he finished helping other people.

Her thoughts became muddled as she entered the streets. People were running around with no clear idea of the danger or where they should go. Mother's held children. Husband held wives. Old couples gripped each other tighter than Madge thought possible before. She ran up to one small family.

"Go!" she commanded. "Go to the woods. Find Gale Hawthorne. He'll lead the way."

She repeated this to many other families. Some listened and instantly obeyed. Others took some convincing. Still others, pushed her away with hostility. She wished that she could save everyone, but she couldn't waste time on one family. Her duty was to save as many people as possible. The first bomb hit.

The ground shook and shrapnel fell on everyone in its path. Madge stared up at where it hit. She knew that side of town very well. It was the side that smelled the best. It was the part with the…bakery. Her heart broke for Peeta who, at the moment, probably had no idea what was happening to his home. She cleared her head, ignored the pain of the cuts from the shrapnel covering her body, and got back to work. She started directing an old couple towards the woods when she heard it.

She couldn't tell what it was the sound of at first, but it soon became clear. It was the sound of marching. An army of peacekeepers was working their way through the streets, shooting at anything that moved. She ducked behind a building and took a breath. She was living in a nightmare. Nothing could possibly be worse than this. Her scream was stifled as she felt a hand cover her mouth.

"Shh," Gale whispered. "It's me." Madge flew around and threw her arms around Gale pressing desperate kisses onto his face.

"I'm so scared," she sniveled. "I'm so scared. I'm so scared. I'm so scared."

"I know," Gale consoled her. He rubbed a hand threw her blonde hair and rubbed the tears off of her face. She hadn't even noticed that they were there. "There's a back way to the woods. This way." He gestured with his head.

"What about the people?" Madge cried quietly. "There's so many still out there."

"We've got the majority in the woods," Gale explained. "We'll wait until the Peacekeepers disperse and go back out. It'll be okay. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the woods.

Most of the members of District Twelve were sobbing. Their homes would be destroyed. Their families, jobs, friends, and lives would be changed forever. Nothing would ever be the same. Family members were running around frantically searching for missing members. Madge searched for friendly faces. Most of her friends were there, but she couldn't stomach going up to them. Each one looked like they were missing someone. Madge was suddenly reminded of something.

"Gale!" she cried. "I was going to ask you to get my mom! She's still in there I forgot all about her!" People were started to stare as she screamed and fell into Gale's arms.

"Madge," Gale said sternly. "Everyone is missing someone. We'll get her after the Peacekeepers. They won't find her if she stays in her room." Madge nodded and gulped back more tears. She went and stood by the fence to watch the Peacekeepers leave. Gale couldn't say that it was much safer than being in the District itself, but he didn't have the heart to tear her away. He hadn't seen her father either.

The last of the Peacekeepers had dispersed, and many of the civilians were ready to run back in to look for loved ones. Gale did his best to hold them back. Something told him that it wasn't over.

"Madge," he said. "Go into the city quickly and look for more people. Send them here. I'll send help for the sick and injured in a little bit. I want to take a head count first. If there is the tiniest sign of danger, come straight back." Madge nodded.

"I'll do it," she agreed. She ducked under the fence and started for the town.

"Madge," Gale called out to her. She slowly turned around. "I love you."

"I love you too," Madge smiled. She brought a hand to her stomach. It was a sign that only Gale would understand. They hadn't told anyone else about her pregnancy. He smiled at the gesture and nodded. She turned and started to run towards the town again. Gale heard a tell tale whistle.

"Get back from the fence," he growled. "Get back!" People ran for better cover in the woods.

"Madge!" he screamed hoping that she had time to turn back. She turned to look at him one last time. The second bomb hit. Madge and Gale's unborn child were killed immediately.

Gale felt strong arms holding him back as he tried to run towards the fence. He screamed and cried like a baby, but he couldn't control himself. It was his fault. He had sent Madge back out. He could have kept her back longer. He should have recognized the sound of bombs sooner. He should have assumed that the worst wasn't over. He should have gone out instead of her. He should have at least gone out with her so that he could die with her.

Gale found that he was suddenly sitting and that people were moving away from him. His mother came to sit next to him. She wrapped her arms around her baby boy the way she hadn't since he was very young. He curled up into her and sobbed harder than he could ever remember. He doubted that he ever had cried this hard.

"It's okay," his mother comforted him. "It's over."

"She was pregnant," Gale choked. "I'm so sorry. I got her pregnant." It felt right to admit it to his mother. He didn't want it to be a secret from her any longer.

"Honey," she consoled. "I'm not angry at you. You're so brave."

"I'm broken. I'm broken. I'm broken," he chanted. He remembered that his mother had, at one point, gone through something similar. "Is this how it felt when Dad died?" His mother paused for a moment.

"Sweetheart," she started. "I can't imagine your pain. I didn't see your father die. It's alright for you to hurt right now. Mommy's got you."

Gale fell silent and continued to cry. He remembered how inconsolable his mother had been when his father had died. He imagined that he possibly looked worse than she had. She hadn't stipulated her husband's death. He had killed Madge, and for that he would never forgive himself.


End file.
